8 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in Costa Rica

1. Manuel Antonio National Park

[{"selector":"#anim-71c5b43f-23e6-404e-91c4-e108e1e27525","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f919eb2-7787-4b2d-a25d-405367b4f7e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.33334%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a74579f6-1706-40f2-8e33-40fb9882db30","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61e9822c-a84b-4a47-9a2a-3028d6a152dd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.09434%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Set on the edge of the town of Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio National Park is one of Costa Rica's top destinations for wildlife viewing.

2. Arenal Volcano

[{"selector":"#anim-d99dcb8c-05dd-4b44-bc49-05aaceb6a3e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a29cfb7-909f-4abb-be06-b8d95c63debf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.33334%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27011913-9db7-4935-9344-642096aa33ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e295ac3f-8f60-4365-a685-bbb3e1323707","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.09434%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Arenal Volcano National Park, found in the rugged Cordillera de Tilarán, is one of the top volcano viewing areas in the country.

3. Monteverde and the Cloud Forests

[{"selector":"#anim-660c53e4-ddbf-4aae-abf5-fef0ae26330f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b803757-24d9-4b22-9bf6-46e6e3e2fb5b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7103bcb3-7590-4ec3-a712-7bf464113af8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3767efca-e46b-493a-9fa6-1a6f8cb62be4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.91305%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some of the best places to go ecotourism in Costa Rica are the Cloud Forests near Monteverde and Santa Elena.

4. Tamarindo

[{"selector":"#anim-70ffca72-71d5-4d5c-bd12-6f1c380cebd9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ace2696e-732a-4f16-b007-6f8fead73b61","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7db19b2a-eb63-43f0-916f-95e12f94aae5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13edb95a-6620-4bfb-8fe1-24856808bd97","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.91305%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] If you're looking for an action-packed beach town to settle in to for a while, Tamarindo is just the place.

5. Dominical

[{"selector":"#anim-c1b8407f-c53f-48b6-90f9-327b7b3e26fc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-560b895d-ac6d-46f2-9a54-4676230297ab","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f0cb5a9-ba4a-4a2a-967b-6243d12ddce6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98577430-2b64-4ffb-9543-fa750dab724e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.91305%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Dominical is a tropical backpacker's haven and one of the best places in Costa Rica for surfing.

6. Mal Pais and Santa Teresa

[{"selector":"#anim-3a10e6a2-6198-4569-a49c-3f78ac922fa7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-764c625c-c150-48cc-ab59-b05165c85c56","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.18682%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88b06d84-0e57-4de4-a4d8-7a193d27253d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50074457-f644-41e5-bec3-6c847ddc8b79","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.9881%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Mal Pais is a beach town on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is known for its great waves, which bring surfers from all over the world.

7. Jaco

[{"selector":"#anim-79b193b6-8590-47a5-a25a-92425e798d5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58fe1af5-0802-4e60-a85b-1b590f460088","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.18682%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eca6e66-a8ac-4488-aa61-b4e8812f03d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0230d874-30f3-4bb2-a34a-f63f4738ae20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.9881%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] If you want to get away from San Jose but still want the comforts and services of a bigger town or city, Jaco is a good pick.

8. Wildlife Viewing

[{"selector":"#anim-adde9029-9c00-42cf-9f0b-e1d2236aa57e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-577a13f0-026c-41f8-b4b4-491bdcb41576","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.18682%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc8a0aa0-7dbf-4992-8249-ea458efb0f4c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7025585b-7a39-415f-b8ae-bb063dec6fcd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.9881%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Costa Rica is one of those rare countries where the wildlife alone can be worth the trip.